My Mothers Day Treat

Much to my hubby's chagrin, I am not a gifts person. I would much rather spend time with people or do something together rather than receive a gift. Jerome is absolutely a gifts person. If you want to show him love, give him a gift. It can be a $2 trinket to you, but to him it is an expression of adoration. This has proved interesting for our marriage. But, this Mother's Day, Jerome went along with my desires and gave me "time" and a family project.

When Katrina was about 18 months, we made a garden stone with her footprint in it. We have not made any since, and I really wanted one for each girl for the house. So, we all trudged to Kroeger's for the quik-crete and molds (the plastic dishes you put under your plants), then came home to build our creations.

Katrina was very excited about the whole process. She loves arts & crafts. She helped mix the concrete, poured it into the molds, and impatiently waited to decorate. She entertained herself while waiting by playing with some of the spilled concrete.

Violet found the giant bubble blower much more interesting than the art project. Oh yeah, and splashing water everywhere.

The girls thoroughly enjoyed washing their hands with the hose.

We had a hard time getting the hose away from Madison, actually.

Once the concrete had begun to set up, we put each child's hand or foot in the center to create an impression. The girls then decorated the stones with pretty rocks and other trinkets.

Here is Violet's. She was fairly offended that I interrupted bubble time to stick her foot in the weird stuff. But she did enjoy putting rocks in her creation.

This is Madison's. We got one foot print out of her, but it kind of freaked her out (big surprise). She was much happier putting her hand in it. And then playing with the hose. Violet did most of the decorating of Madison's stones.

Katrina was by far the most methodical. She insisted on doing it herself, and carefully placed each decoration.

Now, I have three beautiful stones to sit in my garden and forever remind me of when my girls were little. Yes, I wrote their names on the back in permanent marker so I wouldn't forget whose was whose when they are all 40 and have kids of their own. We won't even mention how old I'll be when that happens. Don't want to think about it...